Phytic acid biosyntetic enzymes

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme in a transformed host cell.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/082,960, filed Apr. 24, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention is in the field of plant molecular biology. More specifically, this invention pertains to nucleic acid fragments encoding phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes in plants and seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexaphosphate, commonly known as phytic acid, is an abundant molecule in many plant seeds and vegetative tissue such as roots and tubers (Hartland and Oberlaeas, (1986) J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. 69:667-670). Phytic acid exists primarily as mixture of potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium phytate salts (Pernollet J. C. (1978) Phytochemistry 17:1473-1480).

[0004] In corn (Zea mays L.), 90% of the phytate is deposited in protein bodies localized in the germ whereas in legume crops 90% of the phytate is localized in the endosperm and cotyledons. Up to 80% of phytate is in the aluerone layer of wheat (Triticum aestivum Lam.) and rice (Oryza sative L.) (O'Dell B. L. et al. (1972) J. Agric. Food Chem. 20:718-721). The presence of phytate phosphorous in such food crops decreases the bioavailability of zinc by forming a very stable insoluble phytate zink complex, making the zinc unavailable in the intestinal mucosa of mammals (O'Dell, B. L., et al. (1972) J. Agr. Food Chem. 20:718-721). Although phytate phosphorous is readily available to ruminants, it is less available to monogastric animals. In addition to being only partially digestible, the presence of phytic acid in food crops leads to excretion of other limiting nutrients such as essential amino acids, calcium and zinc (Mroz, Z. et al. (1994) J. Animal Sci. 72:126-132; Fox et al., In Nutritional Toxicology Vol. 3, Academic Press, San Diego (1989) pp. 59-96).

[0005] Phytic acid is thought to arise in plants by two pathways. The first pathway uses free myo-inositol as the initial substrate, with subsequent phosphorylation by a phosphoinositol kinase. Contribution to the free myo-inositol pool is either by recycling from other pathways or by the dephosphorylation of myo-inositol-1-phosphate. The alternate pathway uses myo-inositol-1-phosphate as the initial substrate, with subsequent phosphorylations catalyzed by phosphoinositol kinase. The committed step for myo-inositol-1-phosphate production is the NAD⁺-catalyzed oxidation of carbon 5 of the b-enantiomer of D-glucose-6-phosphate. This reaction is catalyzed by myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (Raboy, V. In Inositol Metabolism in Plants (1990) Wiley-Liss, New York, pp. 55-76).

[0006] Phytic acid is degraded in plant cells to D-myo-inositol 1,2,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate and orthophosphate through the action of phytase. Manipulation of this enzyme activity could lead to a reduction of phytic acid levels in seeds and an increase in inositol trisphosphate and free phosphate, thus making phosphorus more metabolically available to animals that are fed the seed. Another method to lower phytic acid levels is by inhibiting the activity of myo-inositol-1(or 4)-monophosphatase, which catalyzes the reaction: myo-inositol 1-phosphate+H2O=myo-inositol+orthophosphate. Manipulation of the activity of this enzyme in developing seeds could decrease phytic acid levels in seeds and increase levels of free phosphate. Lastly, phytic acid levels could also be reduced by inhibiting the activity of inositol trisphosphate kinase. This enzyme catalyzes the reaction: ATP+1D-myo-inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate=ADP+1D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate. This reaction is one of the final steps leading to the formation of Myo-Inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexaphosphate (phytic acid). Reduction in the activity of the enzyme in developing seeds would interrupt phytic acid synthesis leaving the phosphate as the more metabolically available inositol trisphosphate and free phosphate.

[0007] In the United States, corn accounts for about 80% of the grain fed to all classes of livestock, including poultry, and is usually ground before feeding (Corn: Chemistry and Technology, 1987, American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., Edited by Stanley A. Watson and Paul E. Ramstad). A meal with decreased amounts of phytic acid and increased amounts of available phosphate would lead to improved feed efficiency in corn-containing rations, making available certain minerals especially zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium. Indeed, enzymatic treatment of soybean meal-containing rations to partially hydrolyze the phosphate groups from phytic acid improves both phosphate availability and the availability of other limiting nutrients. Also, in the wet milling of corn, phytate in the steepwater tends to precipitate, causing problems in handling, storing and transportation of the steep liquor. (Pen et al. (1993) Biotechnology 11:811-814). In light of these factors, it is apparent that corn plants with heritable, substantially reduced levels of phytic acid and increased levels of free phosphorous in their seeds would be desirable. Accordingly, the availability of nucleic acid sequences encoding all or a portion of these enzymes would facilitate studies to better understand carbohydrate metabolism and function in plants, provide genetic tools for the manipulation of these biosynthetic pathways, and provide a means to control carbohydrate transport and distribution in plant cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The instant invention relates to isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes. Specifically, this invention concerns an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase. In addition, this invention relates to a nucleic acid fragment that is complementary to the nucleic acid fragment encoding inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase. An additional embodiment of the instant invention pertains to a polypeptide encoding all or a substantial portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0009] In another embodiment, the instant invention relates to a chimeric gene encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase, or to a chimeric gene that comprises a nucleic acid fragment that is complementary to a nucleic acid fragment encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of levels of the encoded protein in a transformed host cell that is altered (i.e., increased or decreased) from the level produced in an untransformed host cell.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the instant invention concerns a transformed host cell comprising in its genome a chimeric gene encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences. Expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the encoded protein in the transformed host cell. The transformed host cell can be of eukaryotic or prokaryotic origin, and include cells derived from higher plants and microorganisms. The invention also includes transformed plants that arise from transformed host cells of higher plants, and seeds derived from such transformed plants.

[0011] An additional embodiment of the instant invention concerns a method of altering the level of expression of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase in a transformed host cell comprising: a) transforming a host cell with a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase; and b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase in the transformed host cell.

[0012] An addition embodiment of the instant invention concerns a method for obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding all or a substantial portion of an amino acid sequence encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND SEQUENCE DESCRIPTIONS

[0013] The invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings and Sequence Listing which form a part of this application.

[0014]FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E show a comparison of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 with the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase amino acid sequences set forth in NCBI Identifier No. gi 3396079 (SEQ ID NO:33) and NCBI Identifier No. gi 3660465 (SEQ ID NO:34). Alignments were performed using the Clustal algorithm.

[0015] The following sequence descriptions and sequence listings attached hereto comply with the rules governing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosures in patent applications as set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.821-1.825.

[0016] SEQ ID NO:1 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a contig assembled from the cDNA inserts in clones cca.pk0022.e6, cpe1c.pk001.h8, cr1n.pk0188.g8, p0005.cbmfp77r and p0090.cspsg46r encoding a corn inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0017] SEQ ID NO:2 is the deduced amino acid sequence of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.

[0018] SEQ ID NO:3 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone dms2c.pk003.m14 encoding a portion of an african daisy inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0019] SEQ ID NO:4 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.

[0020] SEQ ID NO:5 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone ncs.pk0019.a6 encoding a portion of a Catalpa inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0021] SEQ ID NO:6 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5.

[0022] SEQ ID NO:7 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a contig assembled from the cDNA inserts in clones p0125.czaaj15r, p0125.czabg28r, p0125.czabp82r and p0041.crtcl17r encoding a corn inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0023] SEQ ID NO:8 is the deduced amino acid sequence of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8.

[0024] SEQ ID NO:9 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a contig assembled from the cDNA inserts in clones rr1.pk0052.f1 and r10n.pk0015.b2 encoding a portion of a rice inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0025] SEQ ID NO:10 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9.

[0026] SEQ ID NO:11 is the nucleotide sequence comprising the entire cDNA insert in clone r1r12.pk0012.c11 encoding a rice inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0027] SEQ ID NO:12 is the deduced amino acid sequence of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11.

[0028] SEQ ID NO:13 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone rr1.pk0061.c5 encoding a portion of a rice inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0029] SEQ ID NO:14 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:13.

[0030] SEQ ID NO:15 is the nucleotide sequence comprising the entire cDNA insert in clone sf11.pk0091.c9 encoding a soybean inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0031] SEQ ID NO:16 is the deduced amino acid sequence of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15.

[0032] SEQ ID NO:17 is the nucleotide sequence comprising the entire cDNA insert in clone sgs3n.pk001.b5 encoding a soybean inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0033] SEQ ID NO:18 is the deduced amino acid sequence of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17.

[0034] SEQ ID NO:19 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone s11.pk0026.a8 encoding a portion of a soybean inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0035] SEQ ID NO:20 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:19.

[0036] SEQ ID NO:21 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone sls2c.pk013.j24 encoding a portion of a soybean inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0037] SEQ ID NO:22 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:21.

[0038] SEQ ID NO:23 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone wdk4c.pk005.a15(5′) encoding a portion of a wheat inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0039] SEQ ID NO:24 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:23.

[0040] SEQ ID NO:25 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone wdk4c.pk005.a15(3′) encoding a portion of a wheat inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0041] SEQ ID NO:26 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:25.

[0042] SEQ ID NO:27 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone wr1.pk0137.c5(5′) encoding a portion of a wheat inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0043] SEQ ID NO:28 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:27.

[0044] SEQ ID NO:29 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone wr1.pk0137.c5(3′) encoding a portion of a wheat inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0045] SEQ ID NO:30 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:30.

[0046] SEQ ID NO:31 is the nucleotide sequence comprising a portion of the cDNA insert in clone wr1.pk0150.e10 encoding a portion of a wheat inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0047] SEQ ID NO:32 is the deduced amino acid sequence of a portion of an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase derived from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:31.

[0048] The Sequence Listing contains the one letter code for nucleotide sequence characters and the three letter codes for amino acids as defined in conformity with the IUPAC-IUBMB standards described in Nucleic Acids Research 13:3021-3030 (1985) and in the Biochemical Journal 219 (No. 2):345-373 (1984) which are herein incorporated by reference. The symbols and format used for nucleotide and amino acid sequence data comply with the rules set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.822.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049] In the context of this disclosure, a number of terms shall be utilized. As used herein, an “isolated nucleic acid fragment” is a polymer of RNA or DNA that is single- or double-stranded, optionally containing synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. An isolated nucleic acid fragment in the form of a polymer of DNA may be comprised of one or more segments of cDNA, genomic DNA or synthetic DNA. As used herein, “contig” refers to an assemblage of overlapping nucleic acid sequences to form one contiguous nucleotide sequence. For example, several DNA sequences can be compared and aligned to identify common or overlapping regions. The individual sequences can then be assembled into a single contiguous nucleotide sequence.

[0050] As used herein, “substantially similar” refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases results in substitution of one or more amino acids, but do not affect the functional properties of the protein encoded by the DNA sequence.

[0051] “Substantially similar” also refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases does not affect the ability of the nucleic acid fragment to mediate alteration of gene expression by antisense or co-suppression technology. “Substantially similar” also refers to modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention such as deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides that do not substantially affect the functional properties of the resulting transcript vis-à-vis the ability to mediate alteration of gene expression by antisense or co-suppression technology or alteration of the functional properties of the resulting protein molecule. It is therefore understood that the invention encompasses more than the specific exemplary sequences.

[0052] For example, it is well known in the art that antisense suppression and co-suppression of gene expression may be accomplished using nucleic acid fragments representing less than the entire coding region of a gene, and by nucleic acid fragments that do not share 100% sequence identity with the gene to be suppressed. Moreover, alterations in a gene which result in the production of a chemically equivalent amino acid at a given site, but do not effect the functional properties of the encoded protein, are well known in the art. Thus, a codon for the amino acid alanine, a hydrophobic amino acid, may be substituted by a codon encoding another less hydrophobic residue, such as glycine, or a more hydrophobic residue, such as valine, leucine, or isoleucine. Similarly, changes which result in substitution of one negatively charged residue for another, such as aspartic acid for glutamic acid, or one positively charged residue for another, such as lysine for arginine, can also be expected to produce a functionally equivalent product. Nucleotide changes which result in alteration of the N-terminal and C-terminal portions of the protein molecule would also not be expected to alter the activity of the protein. Each of the proposed modifications is well within the routine skill in the art, as is determination of retention of biological activity of the encoded products.

[0053] Moreover, substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may also be characterized by their ability to hybridize, under stringent conditions (0.1× SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C.), with the nucleic acid fragments disclosed herein.

[0054] Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be characterized by the percent similarity of the amino acid sequences that they encode to the amino acid sequences disclosed herein, as determined by algorithms commonly employed by those skilled in this art. Preferred are those nucleic acid fragments whose nucleotide sequences encode amino acid sequences that are 80% similar to the amino acid sequences reported herein. More preferred nucleic acid fragments encode amino acid sequences that are 90% similar to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Most preferred are nucleic acid fragments that encode amino acid sequences that are 95% similar to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Sequence alignments and percent similarity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASARGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins, D. G. and Sharp, P. M. (1989) CABIOS. 5:151 -153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10) (hereafter, Clustal algorithm). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5.

[0055] A “substantial portion” of an amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises enough of the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide or the nucleotide sequence of a gene to afford putative identification of that polypeptide or gene, either by manual evaluation of the sequence by one skilled in the art, or by computer-automated sequence comparison and identification using algorithms such as BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul, S. F., et al., (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/). In general, a sequence of ten or more contiguous amino acids or thirty or more nucleotides is necessary in order to putatively identify a polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence as homologous to a known protein or gene. Moreover, with respect to nucleotide sequences, gene specific oligonucleotide probes comprising 20-30 contiguous nucleotides may be used in sequence-dependent methods of gene identification (e.g., Southern hybridization) and isolation (e.g., in situ hybridization of bacterial colonies or bacteriophage plaques). In addition, short oligonucleotides of 12-15 bases may be used as amplification primers in PCR in order to obtain a particular nucleic acid fragment comprising the primers. Accordingly, a “substantial portion” of a nucleotide sequence comprises enough of the sequence to afford specific identification and/or isolation of a nucleic acid fragment comprising the sequence. The instant specification teaches partial or complete amino acid and nucleotide sequences encoding one or more particular plant proteins. The skilled artisan, having the benefit of the sequences as reported herein, may now use all or a substantial portion of the disclosed sequences for purposes known to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the instant invention comprises the complete sequences as reported in the accompanying Sequence Listing, as well as substantial portions of those sequences as defined above.

[0056] “Codon degeneracy” refers to divergence in the genetic code permitting variation of the nucleotide sequence without effecting the amino acid sequence of an encoded polypeptide. Accordingly, the instant invention relates to any nucleic acid fragment that encodes all or a substantial portion of the amino acid sequence encoding the inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase proteins as set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32. The skilled artisan is well aware of the “codon-bias” exhibited by a specific host cell in usage of nucleotide codons to specify a given amino acid. Therefore, when synthesizing a gene for improved expression in a host cell, it is desirable to design the gene such that its frequency of codon usage approaches the frequency of preferred codon usage of the host cell.

[0057] “Synthetic genes” can be assembled from oligonucleotide building blocks that are chemically synthesized using procedures known to those skilled in the art. These building blocks are ligated and annealed to form gene segments which are then enzymatically assembled to construct the entire gene. “Chemically synthesized”, as related to a sequence of DNA, means that the component nucleotides were assembled in vitro. Manual chemical synthesis of DNA may be accomplished using well established procedures, or automated chemical synthesis can be performed using one of a number of commercially available machines. Accordingly, the genes can be tailored for optimal gene expression based on optimization of nucleotide sequence to reflect the codon bias of the host cell. The skilled artisan appreciates the likelihood of successful gene expression if codon usage is biased towards those codons favored by the host. Determination of preferred codons can be based on a survey of genes derived from the host cell where sequence information is available.

[0058] “Gene” refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses a specific protein, including regulatory sequences preceding (5′ non-coding sequences) and following (3′ non-coding sequences) the coding sequence. “Native gene” refers to a gene as found in nature with its own regulatory sequences. “Chimeric gene” refers any gene that is not a native gene, comprising regulatory and coding sequences that are not found together in nature. Accordingly, a chimeric gene may comprise regulatory sequences and coding sequences that are derived from different sources, or regulatory sequences and coding sequences derived from the same source, but arranged in a manner different than that found in nature. “Endogenous gene” refers to a native gene in its natural location in the genome of an organism. A “foreign” gene refers to a gene not normally found in the host organism, but that is introduced into the host organism by gene transfer. Foreign genes can comprise native genes inserted into a non-native organism, or chimeric genes. A “transgene” is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

[0059] “Coding sequence” refers to a DNA sequence that codes for a specific amino acid sequence. “Regulatory sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5′ non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3′ non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, and polyadenylation recognition sequences.

[0060] “Promoter” refers to a DNA sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In general, a coding sequence is located 3′ to a promoter sequence. The promoter sequence consists of proximal and more distal upstream elements, the latter elements often referred to as enhancers. Accordingly, an “enhancer” is a DNA sequence which can stimulate promoter activity and may be an innate element of the promoter or a heterologous element inserted to enhance the level or tissue-specificity of a promoter. Promoters may be derived in their entirety from a native gene, or be composed of different elements derived from different promoters found in nature, or even comprise synthetic DNA segments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental conditions. Promoters which cause a gene to be expressed in most cell types at most times are commonly referred to as “constitutive promoters”. New promoters of various types useful in plant cells are constantly being discovered; numerous examples may be found in the compilation by Okamuro and Goldberg, (1989) Biochemistry of Plants 15:1-82. It is further recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, DNA fragments of different lengths may have identical promoter activity.

[0061] The “translation leader sequence” refers to a DNA sequence located between the promoter sequence of a gene and the coding sequence. The translation leader sequence is present in the fully processed mRNA upstream of the translation start sequence. The translation leader sequence may affect processing of the primary transcript to mRNA, mRNA stability or translation efficiency. Examples of translation leader sequences have been described (Turner, R. and Foster, G. D. (1995) Molecular Biotechnology 3:225).

[0062] The “3′ non-coding sequences” refer to DNA sequences located downstream of a coding sequence and include polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting mRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor. The use of different 3′ non-coding sequences is exemplified by Ingelbrecht et al., (1989) Plant Cell 1:671-680.

[0063] “RNA transcript” refers to the product resulting from RNA polymerase-catalyzed transcription of a DNA sequence. When the RNA transcript is a perfect complementary copy of the DNA sequence, it is referred to as the primary transcript or it may be a RNA sequence derived from posttranscriptional processing of the primary transcript and is referred to as the mature RNA. “Messenger RNA (mRNA)” refers to the RNA that is without introns and that can be translated into protein by the cell. “cDNA” refers to a double-stranded DNA that is complementary to and derived from mRNA. “Sense” RNA refers to RNA transcript that includes the mRNA and so can be translated into protein by the cell. “Antisense RNA” refers to a RNA transcript that is complementary to all or part of a target primary transcript or mRNA and that blocks the expression of a target gene (U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,065, incorporated herein by reference). The complementarity of an antisense RNA may be with any part of the specific gene transcript, i.e., at the 5′ non-coding sequence, 3′ non-coding sequence, introns, or the coding sequence. “Functional RNA” refers to sense RNA, antisense RNA, ribozyme RNA, or other RNA that may not be translated but yet has an effect on cellular processes.

[0064] The term “operably linked” refers to the association of nucleic acid sequences on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is affected by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of affecting the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in sense or antisense orientation.

[0065] The term “expression”, as used herein, refers to the transcription and stable accumulation of sense (mRNA) or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acid fragment of the invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide. “Antisense inhibition” refers to the production of antisense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of the target protein. “Overexpression” refers to the production of a gene product in transgenic organisms that exceeds levels of production in normal or non-transformed organisms. “Co-suppression” refers to the production of sense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of identical or substantially similar foreign or endogenous genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020, incorporated herein by reference).

[0066] “Altered levels” refers to the production of gene product(s) in transgenic organisms in amounts or proportions that differ from that of normal or non-transformed organisms.

[0067] “Mature” protein refers to a post-translationally processed polypeptide; i.e., one from which any pre- or propeptides present in the primary translation product have been removed. “Precursor” protein refers to the primary product of translation of mRNA; i.e., with pre- and propeptides still present. Pre- and propeptides may be but are not limited to intracellular localization signals.

[0068] A “chloroplast transit peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the chloroplast or other plastid types present in the cell in which the protein is made. “Chloroplast transit sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a chloroplast transit peptide. A “signal peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the secretory system (Chrispeels, J. J., (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53). If the protein is to be directed to a vacuole, a vacuolar targeting signal (supra) can further be added, or if to the endoplasmic reticulum, an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal (supra) may be added. If the protein is to be directed to the nucleus, any signal peptide present should be removed and instead a nuclear localization signal included (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632).

[0069] “Transformation” refers to the transfer of a nucleic acid fragment into the genome of a host organism, resulting in genetically stable inheritance. Host organisms containing the transformed nucleic acid fragments are referred to as “transgenic” organisms. Examples of methods of plant transformation include Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (De Blaere et al. (1987) Meth. Enzymol. 143:277) and particle-accelerated or “gene gun” transformation technology (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73; U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050).

[0070] Standard recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used herein are well known in the art and are described more fully in Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F. and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: Cold Spring Harbor, 1989 (hereinafter “Maniatis”).

[0071] Nucleic acid fragments encoding at least a portion of several phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes have been isolated and identified by comparison of random plant cDNA sequences to public databases containing nucleotide and protein sequences using the BLAST algorithms well known to those skilled in the art. Table 1 lists the proteins that are described herein, and the designation of the cDNA clones that comprise the nucleic acid fragments encoding these proteins. TABLE 1 Phytic Acid Biosynthetic Enzymes Enzyme Clone Plant Inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate cca.pk0022.e6 Corn 5/6-kinase cpe1c.pk001.h8 Corn cr1n.pk0188.g8 Corn dms2c.pk003.m14 African daisy ncs.pk0019.a6 Catalpa p0005.cbmfp77r Corn p0041.crtcl17r Corn p0090.cspsg46r Corn p0125.czaaj15r Corn p0125.czabg28r Corn p0125.czabp82r Corn rl0n.pk0015.b2 Rice rlr12.pk0012.c11 Rice rr1.pk0052.fl Rice rr1.pk0061.c5 Rice sfl1.pk0091.c9 Soybean sgs3n.pk001.b5 Soybean sl1.pk0026.a8 Soybean sls2c.pk013.j24 Soybean wdk4c.pk005.a15(5′) Wheat wdk4c.pk005.a15(3′) Wheat wr1.pk0137.c5(5′) Wheat wr1.pk0137.c5(3′) Wheat wr1.pk0150.e10 Wheat

[0072] The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to isolate cDNAs and genes encoding homologous proteins from the same or other plant species. Isolation of homologous genes using sequence-dependent protocols is well known in the art. Examples of sequence-dependent protocols include, but are not limited to, methods of nucleic acid hybridization, and methods of DNA and RNA amplification as exemplified by various uses of nucleic acid amplification technologies (e.g., polymerase chain reaction, ligase chain reaction).

[0073] For example, genes encoding other inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinases, either as cDNAs or genomic DNAs, could be isolated directly by using all or a portion of the instant nucleic acid fragments as DNA hybridization probes to screen libraries from any desired plant employing methodology well known to those skilled in the art. Specific oligonucleotide probes based upon the instant nucleic acid sequences can be designed and synthesized by methods known in the art (Maniatis). Moreover, the entire sequences can be used directly to synthesize DNA probes by methods known to the skilled artisan such as random primer DNA labeling, nick translation, or end-labeling techniques, or RNA probes using available in vitro transcription systems. In addition, specific primers can be designed and used to amplify a part or all of the instant sequences. The resulting amplification products can be labeled directly during amplification reactions or labeled after amplification reactions, and used as probes to isolate full length cDNA or genomic fragments under conditions of appropriate stringency.

[0074] In addition, two short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols to amplify longer nucleic acid fragments encoding homologous genes from DNA or RNA. The polymerase chain reaction may also be performed on a library of cloned nucleic acid fragments wherein the sequence of one primer is derived from the instant nucleic acid fragments, and the sequence of the other primer takes advantage of the presence of the polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor encoding plant genes. Alternatively, the second primer sequence may be based upon sequences derived from the cloning vector. For example, the skilled artisan can follow the RACE protocol (Frohman et al., (1988) PNAS USA 85:8998) to generate cDNAs by using PCR to amplify copies of the region between a single point in the transcript and the 3′ or 5′ end. Primers oriented in the 3′ and 5′ directions can be designed from the instant sequences. Using commercially available 3′ RACE or 5′ RACE systems (BRL), specific 3′ or 5′ cDNA fragments can be isolated (Ohara et al., (1989) PNAS USA 86:5673; Loh et al., (1989) Science 243:217). Products generated by the 3′ and 5′ RACE procedures can be combined to generate full-length cDNAs (Frohman, M. A. and Martin, G. R., (1989) Techniques 1:165).

[0075] Availability of the instant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences facilitates immunological screening of cDNA expression libraries. Synthetic peptides representing portions of the instant amino acid sequences may be synthesized. These peptides can be used to immunize animals to produce polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies with specificity for peptides or proteins comprising the amino acid sequences. These antibodies can be then be used to screen cDNA expression libraries to isolate full-length cDNA clones of interest (Lerner, R. A. (1984) Adv. Immunol. 36:1; Maniatis).

[0076] The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to create transgenic plants in which the disclosed inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinases are present at higher or lower levels than normal or in cell types or developmental stages in which they are not normally found. This would have the effect of altering the level of inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase in those cells.

[0077] Overexpression of the inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase proteins of the instant invention may be accomplished by first constructing a chimeric gene in which the coding region is operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of a gene in the desired tissues at the desired stage of development. For reasons of convenience, the chimeric gene may comprise promoter sequences and translation leader sequences derived from the same genes. 3′ Non-coding sequences encoding transcription termination signals may also be provided. The instant chimeric gene may also comprise one or more introns in order to facilitate gene expression.

[0078] Plasmid vectors comprising the instant chimeric gene can then constructed. The choice of plasmid vector is dependent upon the method that will be used to transform host plants. The skilled artisan is well aware of the genetic elements that must be present on the plasmid vector in order to successfully transform, select and propagate host cells containing the chimeric gene. The skilled artisan will also recognize that different independent transformation events will result in different levels and patterns of expression (Jones et al., (1985) EMBO J. 4:2411-2418; De Almeida et al., (1989) Mol. Gen. Genetics 218:78-86), and thus that multiple events must be screened in order to obtain lines displaying the desired expression level and pattern. Such screening may be accomplished by Southern analysis of DNA, Northern analysis of mRNA expression, Western analysis of protein expression, or phenotypic analysis.

[0079] For some applications it may be useful to direct the instant phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes to different cellular compartments, or to facilitate its secretion from the cell. It is thus envisioned that the chimeric gene described above may be further supplemented by altering the coding sequence to encode an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase with appropriate intracellular targeting sequences such as transit sequences (Keegstra, K. (1989) Cell 56:247-253), signal sequences or sequences encoding endoplasmic reticulum localization (Chrispeels, J. J., (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53), or nuclear localization signals (Raikhel, N. (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632) added and/or with targeting sequences that are already present removed. While the references cited give examples of each of these, the list is not exhaustive and more targeting signals of utility may be discovered in the future.

[0080] It may also be desirable to reduce or eliminate expression of genes encoding inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase in plants for some applications. In order to accomplish this, a chimeric gene designed for co-suppression of the instant phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes can be constructed by linking a gene or gene fragment encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase to plant promoter sequences. Alternatively, a chimeric gene designed to express antisense RNA for all or part of the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed by linking the gene or gene fragment in reverse orientation to plant promoter sequences. Either the co-suppression or antisense chimeric genes could be introduced into plants via transformation wherein expression of the corresponding endogenous genes are reduced or eliminated.

[0081] The instant inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinases (or portions thereof) may be produced in heterologous host cells, particularly in the cells of microbial hosts, and can be used to prepare antibodies to the these proteins by methods well known to those skilled in the art. The antibodies are useful for detecting inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase in situ in cells or in vitro in cell extracts. Preferred heterologous host cells for production of the instant inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinases are microbial hosts. Microbial expression systems and expression vectors containing regulatory sequences that direct high level expression of foreign proteins are well known to those skilled in the art. Any of these could be used to construct a chimeric gene for production of the instant inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinases. This chimeric gene could then be introduced into appropriate microorganisms via transformation to provide high level expression of the encoded phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme. An example of a vector for high level expression of the instant inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinases in a bacterial host is provided (Example 6).

[0082] All or a substantial portion of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be used as probes for genetically and physically mapping the genes that they are a part of, and as markers for traits linked to those genes. Such information may be useful in plant breeding in order to develop lines with desired phenotypes. For example, the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. Southern blots (Maniatis) of restriction-digested plant genomic DNA may be probed with the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention. The resulting banding patterns may then be subjected to genetic analyses using computer programs such as MapMaker (Lander et at., (1987) Genomics 1:174-181) in order to construct a genetic map. In addition, the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to probe Southern blots containing restriction endonuclease-treated genomic DNAs of a set of individuals representing parent and progeny of a defined genetic cross. Segregation of the DNA polymorphisms is noted and used to calculate the position of the instant nucleic acid sequence in the genetic map previously obtained using this population (Botstein, D. et al., (1980) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 32:314-331).

[0083] The production and use of plant gene-derived probes for use in genetic mapping is described in R. Bernatzky, R. and Tanksley, S. D. (1986) Plant Mol. Biol. Reporter 4(1):37-41. Numerous publications describe genetic mapping of specific cDNA clones using the methodology outlined above or variations thereof. For example, F2 intercross populations, backcross populations, randomly mated populations, near isogenic lines, and other sets of individuals may be used for mapping. Such methodologies are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0084] Nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may also be used for physical mapping (i.e., placement of sequences on physical maps; see Hoheisel, J. D., et al., In: Nonmammalian Genomic Analysis: A Practical Guide, Academic press 1996, pp. 319-346, and references cited therein).

[0085] In another embodiment, nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may be used in direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping (Trask, B. J. (1991) Trends Genet. 7:149-154). Although current methods of FISH mapping favor use of large clones (several to several hundred KB; see Laan, M. et al. (1995) Genome Research 5:13-20), improvements in sensitivity may allow performance of FISH mapping using shorter probes.

[0086] A variety of nucleic acid amplification-based methods of genetic and physical mapping may be carried out using the instant nucleic acid sequences. Examples include allele-specific amplification (Kazazian, H. H. (1989) J. Lab. Clin. Med. 114(2):95-96), polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments (CAPS; Sheffield, V. C. et al. (1993) Genomics 16:325-332), allele-specific ligation (Landegren, U. et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080), nucleotide extension reactions (Sokolov, B. P. (1990) Nucleic Acid Res. 18:3671), Radiation Hybrid Mapping (Walter, M. A. et al. (1997) Nature Genetics 7:22-28) and Happy Mapping (Dear, P. H. and Cook, P. R. (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17:6795-6807). For these methods, the sequence of a nucleic acid fragment is used to design and produce primer pairs for use in the amplification reaction or in primer extension reactions. The design of such primers is well known to those skilled in the art. In methods employing PCR-based genetic mapping, it may be necessary to identify DNA sequence differences between the parents of the mapping cross in the region corresponding to the instant nucleic acid sequence. This, however, is generally not necessary for mapping methods.

[0087] Loss of function mutant phenotypes may be identified for the instant cDNA clones either by targeted gene disruption protocols or by identifying specific mutants for these genes contained in a maize population carrying mutations in all possible genes (Ballinger and Benzer, (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 86:9402; Koes et al., (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 92:8149; Bensen et al., (1995) Plant Cell 7:75). The latter approach may be accomplished in two ways. First, short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols in conjunction with a mutation tag sequence primer on DNAs prepared from a population of plants in which Mutator transposons or some other mutation-causing DNA element has been introduced (see Bensen, supra). The amplification of a specific DNA fragment with these primers indicates the insertion of the mutation tag element in or near the plant gene encoding the inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase. Alternatively, the instant nucleic acid fragment may be used as a hybridization probe against PCR amplification products generated from the mutation population using the mutation tag sequence primer in conjunction with an arbitrary genomic site primer, such as that for a restriction enzyme site-anchored synthetic adaptor. With either method, a plant containing a mutation in the endogenous gene encoding an inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase can be identified and obtained. This mutant plant can then be used to determine or confirm the natural function of the inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase gene product.

EXAMPLES

[0088] The present invention is further defined in the following Examples, in which all parts and percentages are by weight and degrees are Celsius, unless otherwise stated. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Example 1 Composition of cDNA Libraries; Isolation and Sequencing of cDNA Clones

[0089] cDNA libraries representing mRNAs from various african daisy, Catalpa, corn, rice, soybean and wheat tissues were prepared. The characteristics of the libraries are described below. TABLE 2 cDNA Libraries from African Daisy, Catalpa, Corn, Rice, Soybean and Wheat Library Tissue Clone cca Corn (Zea mays L.) type II callus tissue, undifferentiated, cca.pk0022.e6 highly transformable cpe1c Corn (Zea mays L.) pooled BMS treated with chemicals cpe1c.pk001.h8 related to phosphatase*** cr1n Corn (Zea mays L.) root from 7 day seedlings grown in cr1n.pk0188.g8 light* dms2c African daisy (Dimorphotheca sinuata) developing seeds dms2c.pk003.m14 ncs Catalpa speciosa developing seed ncs.pk0019.a6 p0005 Corn (Zea mays L.) immature ear p0005.cbmfp77r p0041 Corn (Zea mays L.) root tips (four days after imbibition), p0041.crtcl17r smaller than 5 mm in length. p0090 Corn (Zea mays L.) heat shocked seedling after 10 day p0090.cspsg46r drought stress (heat shocked for 8, 16, 24 hours at 45 C.) pooled for library construction* p0125 Corn (Zea mays L.) anther: prophase I p0125.czaaj15r p0125.czabg28r p0125.czabp82r rl0n Rice (Oryza sativa L.) 15 day leaf* rl0n.pk0015.b2 rlr12 Rice (Oryza sativa L.) leaf, 15 days after germination, rln12.pk0012.c11 12 hours after infection of Magaporthe grisea strain 4360-R-62 (AVR2-YAMO) rr1 Rice (Oryza saliva L.) root of two week old developing rr1.pk0052.fl seedling rr1.pk0061.c5 sfl1 Soybean (Glycine max L.) immature flower sfl1.pk0091.c9 sgs3n Soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds 25 hrs after germination sgs3n.pk001.b5 sl1 Soybean (Glycine max L.) two week old developing sl1.pk0026.a8 seedlings treated with water sls2c Soybean (Glycine max L.) infected with Sclerotinia sls2c.pk013.j24 sclerotiorum mycelium wdk4c Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) developing kernel, 21 days wdk4c.pk005.a15(5′) after anthesis wdk4c.pk005.al 5(3′) wr1 Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) root; 7 day old seedling, wr1.pk0137.c5(5′) light grown wr1.pk0137.c5(3′) wr1.pk0150.e10

[0090] cDNA libraries were prepared in Uni-ZAP™ XR vectors according to the manufacturer's protocol (Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif.). Conversion of the Uni-ZAP™ XR libraries into plasmid libraries was accomplished according to the protocol provided by Stratagene. Upon conversion, cDNA inserts were contained in the plasmid vector pBluescript. cDNA inserts from randomly picked bacterial colonies containing recombinant pBluescript plasmids were amplified via polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for vector sequences flanking the inserted cDNA sequences or plasmid DNA was prepared from cultured bacterial cells. Amplified insert DNAs or plasmid DNAs were sequenced in dye-primer sequencing reactions to generate partial cDNA sequences (expressed sequence tags or “ESTs”; see Adams, M. D. et al., (1991) Science 252:1651). The resulting ESTs were analyzed using a Perkin Elmer Model 377 fluorescent sequencer.

Example 2 Identification of cDNA Clones

[0091] ESTs encoding phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes were identified by conducting BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul, S. F., et al., (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/) searches for similarity to sequences contained in the BLAST “nr” database (comprising all non-redundant GenBank CDS translations, sequences derived from the 3-dimensional structure Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, the last major release of the SWISS-PROT protein sequence database, EMBL, and DDBJ databases). The cDNA sequences obtained in Example 1 were analyzed for similarity to all publicly available DNA sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTN algorithm provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The DNA sequences were translated in all reading frames and compared for similarity to all publicly available protein sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTX algorithm (Gish, W. and States, D. J. (1993) Nature Genetics 3:266-272 and Altschul, Stephen F., et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402) provided by the NCBI. For convenience, the P-value (probability) of observing a match of a cDNA sequence to a sequence contained in the searched databases merely by chance as calculated by BLAST are reported herein as “pLog” values, which represent the negative of the logarithm of the reported P-value. Accordingly, the greater the pLog value, the greater the likelihood that the cDNA sequence and the BLAST “hit” represent homologous proteins.

Example 3 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Inositol 1,3,4-Triphosphate 5/6-Kinase

[0092] The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones cca.pk0022.e6, cpe1c.pk001.h8, cr1n.pk0188.g8, dms2c.pk003.m14, r1r12.pk0012.c11, rr1.pk0061.c5, sf11.pk0091.c9, sls2c.pk013j24, wdk4c.pk005.a15(5′), wdk4c.pk005.a15(3′), wr1.pk0137.c5(5′), wr1.pk0137.c5(3′) and wr1.pk0150.e10 revealed similarity of the proteins encoded by the cDNAs to inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase from Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI Identifier No. gi 3396079).

[0093] The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones ncs.pk0019.a6, p0125.czaaj15r, p0125.czabg28r, p0125.czabp82r, p0041.crtcl17r, rr1.pk0052.f1, r10n.pk0015.b2, sgs3n.pk001.b5 and s11.pk0026.a8 revealed similarity of the proteins encoded by the cDNAs to inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase from Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI Identifier No. gi 3660465).

[0094] In the process of comparing the ESTs it was found that several had overlapping regions of homology. Using this homology it was possible to align the ESTs and assemble several contigs encoding unique inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase proteins. The composition of each of the assembled contigs is shown in Table 3.

[0095] The BLAST results for each of the ESTs and the contigs are also shown in Table 3: TABLE 3 BLAST Results for Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana Inositol 1,3,4-Triphosphale 5/6-Kinase Clone BLAST pLog Score Contig composed of clones: 67.40 cca.pk0022.e6 cpe1c.pk001.h8 cr1n.pk0188.g8 p0005.cbmfp77r p0090.cspsg46r dms2c.pk003.m14 25.15 ncs.pk0019.a6 48.52 Contig composed of clones: 74.05 p0125.czaaj15r p0125.czabg28r p0125.czabp82r p0041.crtcl17r Contig composed of 44.15 rr1.pk0052.fl rl0n.pk0015.b2 rlr12.pk0012.c11 96.22 rr1.pk0061.c5 21.30 sfl1.pk0091.c9 107.00 sgs3n.pk001.b5 72.52 sl1.pk0026.a8 24.70 sls2c.pk013.j24 102.00 wdk4c.pk005.a15(5′) 21.10 wdk4c.pk005.a15(3′) 15.52 wr1.pk0137.c5(5′) 29.00 wr1.pk0137.c5(3′) 6.70 wr1.pk0150.e10 59.00

[0096] The sequence of the corn contig composed of clones cca.pk0022.e6, cpe1c.pk001.h8, cr1n.pk0188.g8, p0005.cbmfp77r and p0090.cspsg46r is shown in SEQ ID NO:1; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 100% of the of the protein, is shown in SEQ ID NO:2. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 59.22 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:2 is 37% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0097] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone dms2c.pk003.m14 is shown in SEQ ID NO:3; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 35% of the of the protein (N-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:4. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:4 is 37% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0098] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone ncs.pk0019.a6 is shown in SEQ ID NO:5; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 73% of the of the protein (C-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:6. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:6 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 46.52 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:6 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:6 is 39% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0099] The sequence of the corn contig composed of clones p0125.czaaj15r, p0125.czabg28r, p0125.czabp82r and p0041.crtcl17r is shown in SEQ ID NO:7; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 100% of the of the protein, is shown in SEQ ID NO:8. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 84.40 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:8 is 48% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0100] The sequence of the rice contig composed of clones rr1.pk0052.f1 and r10n.pk0015.b2 is shown in SEQ ID NO:9; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 77% of the of the protein (C-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:10. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:10 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 43.70 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:10 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO: 10 is 37% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0101] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert from clone r1r12.pk0012.c11 is shown in SEQ ID NO:11; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 100% of the of the protein, is shown in SEQ ID NO:12. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 96.40 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:12 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:12 is 53% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0102] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone rr1.pk0061.c5 is shown in SEQ ID NO:13; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 41% of the of the protein (N-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:14. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:14 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:14 is 36% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0103] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert from clone sf11.pk0091.c9 is shown in SEQ ID NO:15; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 100% of the of the protein, is shown in SEQ ID NO:16. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 94.70 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:16 is 53% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0104] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert from clone sgs3n.pk001.b5 is shown in SEQ ID NO:17; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 100% of the of the protein, is shown in SEQ ID NO:18. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 67.00 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:18 is 40% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0105] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone s11.pk0026.a8 is shown in SEQ ID NO:19; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 41% of the of the protein (C-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:20. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 22.70 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:20 is 40% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0106] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert from clone sls2c.pk013.j24 is shown in SEQ ID NO:21; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 99% of the of the protein, is shown in SEQ ID NO:22. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:22 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 92.00 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:22 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:22 is 51% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0107] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone wdk4c.pk005.a15(5′) is shown in SEQ ID NO:23; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 51% of the of the protein (N-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:24. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:24 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:24 is 32% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0108] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone wdk4c.pk005.a15(3′) is shown in SEQ ID NO:25; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 31% of the of the protein (C-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:26. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:26 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:26 is 29% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0109] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone wr1.pk0137.c5(5′) is shown in SEQ ID NO:27; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 50% of the of the protein (middle region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:28. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:28 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:28 is 40% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0110] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone wr1.pk0137.c5(3′) is shown in SEQ ID NO:29; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 21% of the of the protein (C-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:30. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:30 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:30 is 35% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0111] The sequence of a portion of the cDNA insert from clone wr1.pk0150.e10 is shown in SEQ ID NO:31; the deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA, which represents 88% of the of the protein (C-terminal region), is shown in SEQ ID NO:32. The amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 was evaluated by BLASTP, yielding a pLog value of 51.15 versus the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. A calculation of the percent similarity of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 and the Arabidopsis thaliana sequence (using the Clustal algorithm) revealed that the protein encoded by SEQ ID NO:32 is 38% similar to the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase.

[0112]FIG. 1 presents an alignment of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 with the Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase amino acid sequences, SEQ ID NO:33 (NCBI Identifier No. gi 3396079) and SEQ ID NO:34 (NCBI Identifier No. gi 3660465). Alignments were performed using the Clustal algorithm.

[0113] These sequences represent the first african daisey, Catalpa, corn, rice, soybean and wheat sequences encoding inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase proteins.

Example 4 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Monocot Cells

[0114] A chimeric gene comprising a cDNA encoding phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme in sense orientation with respect to the maize 27 kD zein promoter that is located 5′ to the cDNA fragment, and the 10 kD zein 3′ end that is located 31 to the cDNA fragment, can be constructed. The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites (NcoI or SmaI) can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the digested vector pML103 as described below. Amplification is then performed in a standard PCR. The amplified DNA is then digested with restriction enzymes NcoI and SmaI and fractionated on an agarose gel. The appropriate band can be isolated from the gel and combined with a 4.9 kb NcoI-SmaI fragment of the plasmid pML103. Plasmid pML103 has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at ATCC (American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209), and bears accession number ATCC 97366. The DNA segment from pML103 contains a 1.05 kb SalI-NcoI promoter fragment of the maize 27 kD zein gene and a 0.96 kb SmaI-SalI fragment from the 3′ end of the maize 10 kD zein gene in the vector pGem9Zf(+) (Promega). Vector and insert DNA can be ligated at 15° C. overnight, essentially as described (Maniatis). The ligated DNA may then be used to transform E. coli XL1 -Blue (Epicurian Coli XL-1 Blue™; Stratagene). Bacterial transformants can be screened by restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid DNA and limited nucleotide sequence analysis using the dideoxy chain termination method (Sequenase™ DNA Sequencing Kit; U.S. Biochemical). The resulting plasmid construct would comprise a chimeric gene encoding, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the maize 27 kD zein promoter, a cDNA fragment encoding a phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes, and the 10 kD zein 3′ region.

[0115] The chimeric gene described above can then be introduced into corn cells by the following procedure. Immature corn embryos can be dissected from developing caryopses derived from crosses of the inbred corn lines H99 and LH132. The embryos are isolated 10 to 11 days after pollination when they are 1.0 to 1.5 mm long. The embryos are then placed with the axis-side facing down and in contact with agarose-solidified N6 medium (Chu et al., (1975) Sci. Sin. Peking 18:659-668). The embryos are kept in the dark at 27° C. Friable embryogenic callus consisting of undifferentiated masses of cells with somatic proembryoids and embryoids borne on suspensor structures proliferates from the scutellum of these immature embryos. The embryogenic callus isolated from the primary explant can be cultured on N6 medium and sub-cultured on this medium every 2 to 3 weeks.

[0116] The plasmid, p35S/Ac (obtained from Dr. Peter Eckes, Hoechst Ag, Frankfurt, Germany) may be used in transformation experiments in order to provide for a selectable marker. This plasmid contains the Pat gene (see European Patent Publication 0 242 236) which encodes phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT). The enzyme PAT confers resistance to herbicidal glutamine synthetase inhibitors such as phosphinothricin. The pat gene in p35S/Ac is under the control of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

[0117] The particle bombardment method (Klein et al., (1987) Nature 327:70-73) may be used to transfer genes to the callus culture cells. According to this method, gold particles (1 μm in diameter) are coated with DNA using the following technique. Ten μg of plasmid DNAs are added to 50 μL of a suspension of gold particles (60 mg per mL). Calcium chloride (50 μL of a 2.5 M solution) and spermidine free base (20 μL of a 1.0 M solution) are added to the particles. The suspension is vortexed during the addition of these solutions. After 10 minutes, the tubes are briefly centrifuged (5 sec at 15,000 rpm) and the supernatant removed. The particles are resuspended in 200 μL of absolute ethanol, centrifuged again and the supernatant removed. The ethanol rinse is performed again and the particles resuspended in a final volume of 30 μL of ethanol. An aliquot (5 μL) of the DNA-coated gold particles can be placed in the center of a Kapton™ flying disc (Bio-Rad Labs). The particles are then accelerated into the corn tissue with a Biolistic™ PDS-1 000/He (Bio-Rad Instruments, Hercules Calif.), using a helium pressure of 1000 psi, a gap distance of 0.5 cm and a flying distance of 1.0 cm.

[0118] For bombardment, the embryogenic tissue is placed on filter paper over agarose-solidified N6 medium. The tissue is arranged as a thin lawn and covered a circular area of about 5 cm in diameter. The petri dish containing the tissue can be placed in the chamber of the PDS-1000/He approximately 8 cm from the stopping screen. The air in the chamber is then evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches of Hg. The macrocarrier is accelerated with a helium shock wave using a rupture membrane that bursts when the He pressure in the shock tube reaches 1000 psi.

[0119] Seven days after bombardment the tissue can be transferred to N6 medium that contains gluphosinate (2 mg per liter) and lacks casein or proline. The tissue continues to grow slowly on this medium. After an additional 2 weeks the tissue can be transferred to fresh N6 medium containing gluphosinate. After 6 weeks, areas of about 1 cm in diameter of actively growing callus can be identified on some of the plates containing the glufosinate-supplemented medium. These calli may continue to grow when sub-cultured on the selective medium.

[0120] Plants can be regenerated from the transgenic callus by first transferring clusters of tissue to N6 medium supplemented with 0.2 mg per liter of 2,4-D. After two weeks the tissue can be transferred to regeneration medium (Fromm et al., (1990) Bio/Technology 8:833-839).

Example 5 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Dicot Cells

[0121] A seed-specific expression cassette composed of the promoter and transcription terminator from the gene encoding the β subunit of the seed storage protein phaseolin from the bean Phaseolus vulgaris (Doyle et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:9228-9238) can be used for expression of the instant phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes in transformed soybean. The phaseolin cassette includes about 500 nucleotides upstream (5′) from the translation initiation codon and about 1650 nucleotides downstream (3′) from the translation stop codon of phaseolin. Between the 5′ and 3′ regions are the unique restriction endonuclease sites Nco I (which includes the ATG translation initiation codon), Sma I, Kpn I and Xba I. The entire cassette is flanked by Hind III sites.

[0122] The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the expression vector. Amplification is then performed as described above, and the isolated fragment is inserted into a pUC18 vector carrying the seed expression cassette.

[0123] Soybean embroys may then be transformed with the expression vector comprising a sequence encoding a phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme. To induce somatic embryos, cotyledons, 3-5 mm in length dissected from surface sterilized, immature seeds of the soybean cultivar A2872, can be cultured in the light or dark at 26° C. on an appropriate agar medium for 6-10 weeks. Somatic embryos which produce secondary embryos are then excised and placed into a suitable liquid medium. After repeated selection for clusters of somatic embryos which multiplied as early, globular staged embryos, the suspensions are maintained as described below.

[0124] Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can maintained in 35 mL liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm, at 26° C. with florescent lights on a 16:8 hour day/night schedule. Cultures are subcultured every two weeks by inoculating approximately 35 mg of tissue into 35 mL of liquid medium.

[0125] Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Kline et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic™ PDS1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

[0126] A selectable marker gene which can be used to facilitate soybean transformation is a chimeric gene composed of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812), the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene from plasmid pJR225 (from E. coli; Gritz et al. (1983) Gene 25:179-188) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The seed expression cassette comprising the phaseolin 5′ region, the fragment encoding the phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme and the phaseolin 3′ region can be isolated as a restriction fragment. This fragment can then be inserted into a unique restriction site of the vector carrying the marker gene.

[0127] To 50 μL of a 60 mg/mL 1 μm gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 μL DNA (1 μg/μL), 20 μl spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 μL CaCl₂ (2.5 M). The particle preparation is then agitated for three minutes, spun in a microfuge for 10 seconds and the supernatant removed. The DNA-coated particles are then washed once in 400 μL 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 μL of anhydrous ethanol. The DNA/particle suspension can be sonicated three times for one second each. Five μL of the DNA-coated gold particles are then loaded on each macro carrier disk.

[0128] Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60×15 mm petri dish and the residual liquid removed from the tissue with a pipette. For each transformation experiment, approximately 5-10 plates of tissue are normally bombarded. Membrane rupture pressure is set at 1100 psi and the chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches mercury. The tissue is placed approximately 3.5 inches away from the retaining screen and bombarded three times. Following bombardment, the tissue can be divided in half and placed back into liquid and cultured as described above.

[0129] Five to seven days post bombardment, the liquid media may be exchanged with fresh media, and eleven to twelve days post bombardment with fresh media containing 50 mg/mL hygromycin. This selective media can be refreshed weekly. Seven to eight weeks post bombardment, green, transformed tissue may be observed growing from untransformed, necrotic embryogenic clusters. Isolated green tissue is removed and inoculated into individual flasks to generate new, clonally propagated, transformed embryogenic suspension cultures. Each new line may be treated as an independent transformation event. These suspensions can then be subcultured and maintained as clusters of immature embryos or regenerated into whole plants by maturation and germination of individual somatic embryos.

Example 6 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Microbial Cells

[0130] The cDNAs encoding the instant phytic acid biosynthetic enzymes can be inserted into the T7 E. coli expression vector pBT430. This vector is a derivative of pET-3a (Rosenberg et al. (1987) Gene 56:125-135) which employs the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/T7 promoter system. Plasmid pBT430 was constructed by first destroying the EcoR I and Hind III sites in pET-3a at their original positions. An oligonucleotide adaptor containing EcoR I and Hind III sites was inserted at the BamH I site of pET-3a. This created pET-3aM with additional unique cloning sites for insertion of genes into the expression vector. Then, the Nde I site at the position of translation initiation was converted to an Nco I site using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The DNA sequence of pET-3aM in this region, 5′-CATATGG, was converted to 5′-CCCATGG in pBT430.

[0131] Plasmid DNA containing a cDNA may be appropriately digested to release a nucleic acid fragment encoding the protein. This fragment may then be purified on a 1% NuSieve GTG™ low melting agarose gel (FMC). Buffer and agarose contain 10 μg/ml ethidium bromide for visualization of the DNA fragment. The fragment can then be purified from the agarose gel by digestion with GELase™ (Epicentre Technologies) according to the manufacturer's instructions, ethanol precipitated, dried and resuspended in 20 μL of water. Appropriate oligonucleotide adapters may be ligated to the fragment using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). The fragment containing the ligated adapters can be purified from the excess adapters using low melting agarose as described above. The vector pBT430 is digested, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (NEB) and deproteinized with phenol/chloroform as decribed above. The prepared vector pBT430 and fragment can then be ligated at 16° C. for 15 hours followed by transformation into DH5 electrocompetent cells (GIBCO BRL). Transformants can be selected on agar plates containing LB media and 100 μg/mL ampicillin. Transformants containing the gene encoding the phytic acid biosynthetic enzyme are then screened for the correct orientation with respect to the T7 promoter by restriction enzyme analysis.

[0132] For high level expression, a plasmid clone with the cDNA insert in the correct orientation relative to the T7 promoter can be transformed into E. coli strain BL21(DE3) (Studier et al. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189:113-130). Cultures are grown in LB medium containing ampicillin (100 mg/L) at 25° C. At an optical density at 600 nm of approximately 1, IPTG (isopropylthio-β-galactoside, the inducer) can be added to a final concentration of 0.4 mM and incubation can be continued for 3 h at 25°. Cells are then harvested by centrifugation and re-suspended in 50 μL of 50 mM Tris-HCl at pH 8.0 containing 0.1 mM DTT and 0.2 mM phenyl methylsulfonyl fluoride. A small amount of 1 mm glass beads can be added and the mixture sonicated 3 times for about 5 seconds each time with a microprobe sonicator. The mixture is centrifuged and the protein concentration of the supernatant determined. One μg of protein from the soluble fraction of the culture can be separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gels can be observed for protein bands migrating at the expected molecular weight.

1 16 1 431 DNA Zea mays 1 cgccgcttcg ttgatggatt ggtccacccg gttccgcatc cgaaacccgt cgccggccgc 60 gtcccacttt gccggccaca ggcggagtca agcggatagg gtatttctcc ggaccatggc 120 gtcggcggcc ccggtggagg agccgacggc ggcggccgag gcgaaggggc ggctgaccgg 180 tgactccttc atccggcgcc acctcaggac cctcgccccg tatcagccca tcctgccctt 240 tgaggtgtta tctgctcgcc ttgggcgtag accagaggac ataatcaagt tggatgcaaa 300 tgagaatcca tatggtccac ccccggaggt cgctgcagca ctaggtagtc tcaagttccc 360 ctatgtgtac cctgatcctg aaagccgcca attgcgtgct gcccttgctg aagattctgg 420 acttgaatct g 431 2 139 PRT Zea mays UNSURE (47) Xaa = ANY AMINO ACID 2 Met Asp Trp Ser Thr Arg Phe Arg Ile Arg Asn Pro Ser Pro Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Ser His Phe Ala Gly His Arg Arg Ser Gln Ala Asp Arg Val Phe Leu 20 25 30 Arg Thr Met Ala Ser Ala Ala Pro Val Glu Glu Pro Thr Ala Xaa Ala 35 40 45 Glu Ala Lys Gly Arg Leu Thr Gly Asp Ser Phe Ile Arg Arg His Leu 50 55 60 Arg Thr Leu Ala Pro Tyr Gln Pro Ile Leu Pro Phe Glu Val Leu Ser 65 70 75 80 Ala Arg Leu Gly Arg Arg Pro Glu Asp Ile Ile Lys Leu Asp Ala Asn 85 90 95 Glu Asn Pro Tyr Gly Pro Pro Pro Glu Val Ala Ala Ala Leu Gly Ser 100 105 110 Leu Lys Phe Pro Tyr Val Tyr Pro Asp Pro Glu Ser Arg Gln Leu Arg 115 120 125 Ala Ala Leu Ala Glu Asp Ser Gly Leu Glu Ser 130 135 3 501 DNA Oryza sp. 3 cttacatgta agctcgtgcc gaattcggca cgagcttaca cgagctcgca tccagagccc 60 gcaccggtcg gccgcccact tcgtcgccgg cgagggggga cgccgccgcc cggcaacgtc 120 cagggtatcc ttccgctcca tggcgtcggc cgcttccgtg gaggagcctg ccgctgctgc 180 ggcggcggcg gctgagacga agaggggacc gagcggcgcc tccttcatcc gggaacacct 240 caggagtctc gccccgtacc aagcccatcc tgcccttcga ggtgttgtcc gctcggcttg 300 ggcgtaaacc agaggatata atcaagttgg atgcaaatga aaatccatat ggtccacctc 360 cggaggtagc taaagcatta ggaaatttga agtttcccta tgtgtacctg atctgaaagc 420 cgtcagttgc gtgctgctct tgctgaagat tctggtcttg aatctgagta catacttgct 480 ggatgttggt gcaaatgaat t 501 4 162 PRT Oryza sp. UNSURE (88) Xaa = ANY AMINO ACID 4 Leu His Val Ser Ser Cys Arg Ile Arg His Glu Leu Thr Arg Ala Arg 1 5 10 15 Ile Gln Ser Pro His Arg Ser Ala Ala His Phe Val Ala Gly Glu Gly 20 25 30 Gly Arg Arg Arg Pro Ala Thr Ser Arg Val Ser Phe Arg Ser Met Ala 35 40 45 Ser Ala Ala Ser Val Glu Glu Pro Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala 50 55 60 Glu Thr Lys Arg Gly Pro Ser Gly Ala Ser Phe Ile Arg Glu His Leu 65 70 75 80 Arg Ser Leu Ala Pro Tyr Gln Xaa Ile Leu Pro Phe Glu Val Leu Ser 85 90 95 Ala Arg Leu Gly Arg Lys Pro Glu Asp Ile Ile Lys Leu Asp Ala Asn 100 105 110 Glu Asn Pro Tyr Gly Pro Pro Pro Glu Val Ala Lys Ala Leu Gly Asn 115 120 125 Leu Lys Phe Pro Tyr Val Tyr Xaa Xaa Xaa Glu Ser Arg Gln Leu Arg 130 135 140 Ala Ala Leu Ala Glu Asp Ser Gly Leu Glu Ser Glu Tyr Ile Leu Ala 145 150 155 160 Gly Cys 5 529 DNA Glycine max unsure (206) n=a,c,g or t 5 ccagcaacct ctgccaatct ttaatgggtg tgattgattt ctacaacact ggtgctttgt 60 gctgggttaa gtccaacgcc aatctgaagc agcaagtggg tttggcacca agacccattt 120 gttcatttga ggggaataat cagaggaagt ttgtggcaat ggcttctacc gttcctgtgg 180 agcaagtcaa caatggcccc ctgcangtga caggtgactc cttcatcaga gagcatctga 240 ggaagttggc tccttatcag cccattttgc cctttgaggt tttatcagct cgccttggac 300 gtaancctga ggatatcgtg aagttagang ctaatgaaaa tcnttanggt ccccctccag 360 agtcatggaa agccctagga tcaatgnaat tccccanatg tctatcctga acccagagag 420 ncngcnagat tgcgcgaagt cttggcccat gaattcaggg ccttgaagct gaataatatt 480 cttgcagggt gtngtgaaga nngngcctaa tgaatnngaa cangcgtaa 529 6 131 PRT Glycine max UNSURE (68) Xaa = ANY AMINO ACID 6 Ser Asn Leu Cys Gln Ser Leu Met Gly Val Ile Asp Phe Tyr Asn Thr 1 5 10 15 Gly Ala Leu Cys Trp Val Lys Ser Asn Ala Asn Leu Lys Gln Gln Val 20 25 30 Gly Leu Ala Pro Arg Pro Ile Cys Ser Phe Glu Gly Asn Asn Gln Arg 35 40 45 Lys Phe Val Ala Met Ala Ser Thr Val Pro Val Glu Gln Val Asn Asn 50 55 60 Gly Pro Leu Xaa Val Thr Gly Asp Ser Phe Ile Arg Glu His Leu Arg 65 70 75 80 Lys Leu Ala Pro Tyr Gln Pro Ile Leu Pro Phe Glu Val Leu Ser Ala 85 90 95 Arg Leu Gly Arg Xaa Pro Glu Asp Ile Val Lys Leu Xaa Ala Asn Glu 100 105 110 Asn Xaa Xaa Gly Pro Pro Pro Glu Ser Trp Lys Ala Leu Gly Ser Met 115 120 125 Xaa Phe Pro 130 7 151 DNA Triticum sp. unsure (35) n=a,c,g or t 7 gggttatgga gcatttcctc taagcattat tgagnactta tggcggncca agcagcctta 60 taatntttct ntngcagcag aagtctctgc atgtgctgcc ttnnagaacc cagtctantt 120 gganagcgtg caaaatctgc tactacaaga g 151 8 50 PRT Triticum sp. UNSURE (12) Xaa = ANY AMINO ACID 8 Gly Tyr Gly Ala Phe Pro Leu Ser Ile Ile Glu Xaa Leu Trp Arg Xaa 1 5 10 15 Lys Gln Pro Tyr Asn Xaa Ser Xaa Ala Ala Glu Val Ser Ala Cys Ala 20 25 30 Ala Xaa Xaa Asn Pro Val Xaa Leu Xaa Ser Val Gln Asn Leu Leu Leu 35 40 45 Gln Glu 50 9 1338 DNA Zea mays unsure (1099) n=a,c,g or t 9 cgagtggcag cctcacgctc actttaacga ccctttgcga cgccaaccgg ccaaagctcc 60 cggctcggcg gcgccgcttc gttgatggat tggtccaccc ggttccgcat ccgaaacccg 120 tcgccggccg cgtcccactt tgccggccac aggcggagtc aagcggatag ggtatttctc 180 cggaccatgg cgtcggcggc cccggtggag gagccgacgg cggcggccga ggcgaagggg 240 cggctgaccg gtgactcctt catccggcgc cacctcagga ccctcgcccc gtatcagccc 300 atcctgccct ttgaggtgtt atctgctcgc cttgggcgta gaccagagga cataatcaag 360 ttggatgcaa atgagaatcc atatggtcca cccccggagg tcgctgcagc actaggtagt 420 ctcaagttcc cctatgtgta ccctgatcct gaaagccgcc aattgcgtgc tgcccttgct 480 gaagattctg gacttgaatc tgattacata cttgctggat gtggcgcaga tgaactaatt 540 gatttaatta tgagatgtgt gcttgaacca ggcgacaaaa ttgttgattg ccctccaaca 600 ttcacaatgt atgagttcga cgcttcagtc aatggtgcac ttgttatcaa ggttccaaga 660 ctgcccgatt tttccctaga tgttgatctc attgtcgaag tggttgaaca ggaaatgcca 720 aaatgcatat ttctgacatc cccaaataat ccagatggca gtgtaatcaa tgatgaggat 780 cttttaaaga tacttgatct cccaatactt gtagtgctgg atgaagctta tattgagttt 840 tcaagccttc agtcaagaat ggcatgggtt aagaagcatg ataatttgat tgttctccga 900 acatttagca aacgggcagg tttagctggt cttcgtgtgg gttatggtgc atttcctctg 960 agcattatcg agtatttgtg gcgggccaag cagccctata atgtttctgt ggccgcagaa 1020 gtttcagcat gtgcagcttt acagaatcca acttatctgg agaatgtgaa aaatttactg 1080 gtaaaagaaa gggagaggnt gtttaatctt ctcaagggaa taccattcct gaagccattt 1140 cccagtcatt ctaacttcat tctctgcgag gtcacgtcag gaaaggatgc aaagaaaata 1200 aaggaagacc ttgcgaagat gggagtgatg atccgccact atgacaagaa ggaactgaaa 1260 ggctatattc gtatctcggt tgggaaaccc gagcacactg atgcactaat gaagggcctg 1320 aatgcacttc gattgtga 1338 10 417 PRT Zea mays UNSURE (339) Xaa = ANY AMINO ACID 10 Met Asp Trp Ser Thr Arg Phe Arg Ile Arg Asn Pro Ser Pro Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Ser His Phe Ala Gly His Arg Arg Ser Gln Ala Asp Arg Val Phe Leu 20 25 30 Arg Thr Met Ala Ser Ala Ala Pro Val Glu Glu Pro Thr Ala Ala Ala 35 40 45 Glu Ala Lys Gly Arg Leu Thr Gly Asp Ser Phe Ile Arg Arg His Leu 50 55 60 Arg Thr Leu Ala Pro Tyr Gln Pro Ile Leu Pro Phe Glu Val Leu Ser 65 70 75 80 Ala Arg Leu Gly Arg Arg Pro Glu Asp Ile Ile Lys Leu Asp Ala Asn 85 90 95 Glu Asn Pro Tyr Gly Pro Pro Pro Glu Val Ala Ala Ala Leu Gly Ser 100 105 110 Leu Lys Phe Pro Tyr Val Tyr Pro Asp Pro Glu Ser Arg Gln Leu Arg 115 120 125 Ala Ala Leu Ala Glu Asp Ser Gly Leu Glu Ser Asp Tyr Ile Leu Ala 130 135 140 Gly Cys Gly Ala Asp Glu Leu Ile Asp Leu Ile Met Arg Cys Val Leu 145 150 155 160 Glu Pro Gly Asp Lys Ile Val Asp Cys Pro Pro Thr Phe Thr Met Tyr 165 170 175 Glu Phe Asp Ala Ser Val Asn Gly Ala Leu Val Ile Lys Val Pro Arg 180 185 190 Leu Pro Asp Phe Ser Leu Asp Val Asp Leu Ile Val Glu Val Val Glu 195 200 205 Gln Glu Met Pro Lys Cys Ile Phe Leu Thr Ser Pro Asn Asn Pro Asp 210 215 220 Gly Ser Val Ile Asn Asp Glu Asp Leu Leu Lys Ile Leu Asp Leu Pro 225 230 235 240 Ile Leu Val Val Leu Asp Glu Ala Tyr Ile Glu Phe Ser Ser Leu Gln 245 250 255 Ser Arg Met Ala Trp Val Lys Lys His Asp Asn Leu Ile Val Leu Arg 260 265 270 Thr Phe Ser Lys Arg Ala Gly Leu Ala Gly Leu Arg Val Gly Tyr Gly 275 280 285 Ala Phe Pro Leu Ser Ile Ile Glu Tyr Leu Trp Arg Ala Lys Gln Pro 290 295 300 Tyr Asn Val Ser Val Ala Ala Glu Val Ser Ala Cys Ala Ala Leu Gln 305 310 315 320 Asn Pro Thr Tyr Leu Glu Asn Val Lys Asn Leu Leu Val Lys Glu Arg 325 330 335 Glu Arg Xaa Phe Asn Leu Leu Lys Gly Ile Pro Phe Leu Lys Pro Phe 340 345 350 Pro Ser His Ser Asn Phe Ile Leu Cys Glu Val Thr Ser Gly Lys Asp 355 360 365 Ala Lys Lys Ile Lys Glu Asp Leu Ala Lys Met Gly Val Met Ile Arg 370 375 380 His Tyr Asp Lys Lys Glu Leu Lys Gly Tyr Ile Arg Ile Ser Val Gly 385 390 395 400 Lys Pro Glu His Thr Asp Ala Leu Met Lys Gly Leu Asn Ala Leu Arg 405 410 415 Leu 11 1605 DNA Oryza sativa 11 gcacgagctt acatgtaagc tcgtgccgaa ttcggcacga gcttacacga gctcgcatcc 60 agagcccgca ccggtcggcc gcccacttcg tcgccggcga ggggggacgc cgccgcccgg 120 caacgtccag ggtatccttc cgctccatgg cgtcggccgc ttccgtggag gagcctgccg 180 ctgctgcggc ggcggcggct gagacgaaga ggggaccgag cggcgcctcc ttcatccggg 240 aacacctcag gagtctcgcc ccgtaccagc ccatcctgcc cttcgaggtg ttgtccgctc 300 ggcttgggcg taaaccagag gatataatca agttggatgc aaatgaaaat ccatatggtc 360 cacctccgga ggtagctaaa gcattaggaa atttgaagtt tccctatgtg taccctgatc 420 ctgaaagccg tcagttgcgt gctgctcttg ctgaagattc tggtcttgaa tctgagtaca 480 tacttgctgg atgtggtgca gatgaattaa ttgatttaat aatgagatgt gtactcgaac 540 caggtgacaa aattgttgat tgccctccaa cttttacgat gtatgagttt gatgcgtcag 600 tcaatggtgc acttgtgatc aaggtaccga gacttcctga tttttctcta gacgttgcac 660 agattgtcaa agtggttgaa caggaaaagc caaaatccat atttctgaca tctccgaaca 720 acccagatgg cagcataatc aatgatgagg atcttttaaa gatccttgat cttccaatac 780 ttgtagtgct ggatgaagca tatattgagt tttcgagtct tcaaacaagg atgtcatggg 840 ttaagaagca tgataatttg attgttcttc ggacatttag caaacgagca ggtttagctg 900 gacttcgtgt gggttacgga gcatttcctc taagcataat cgagtattta tggagggcta 960 agcagcccta taatgtttct gtagcagcag aagtttcagc ctgtgctgcc ttgcagaacc 1020 cgacttattt agaggaagtg aaaaatctgc tactacaaga gagggacagg ctgtacgatc 1080 ttctcaaaga aataccattc ctaaagccat ttcccagcca ctctaacttt attctctgcg 1140 aggtcacatc aggcaaagat gcaaagaaaa taaaggaaga ccttgcgaag atgggagtaa 1200 tgatccgcca ctatgacaag aaggaactaa agggatatat tcgtatttca gtgggcaagc 1260 cagagcatac cgatgcacta atgaaaggcc tgaaagcact tcaactgtga tcatcccatc 1320 tgtttgacgg aagcactgaa gcacttgccc gtggtagtgc actagatgca gtctctcaat 1380 ggaggttgca tcaatctaac acaaataagg tgcatcctct agggtcgatt atgtctcaat 1440 aatacactct tctgttttga ccagtggcgt tttgtccagc atttttgtgt tggtcgactt 1500 gggtttcttc tcaaggtgat tgttcgaagc aagaatttgt actgccgtgc cctgattgga 1560 ataaatatga gcgtaaaagt atggcaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaa 1605 12 435 PRT Oryza sativa 12 Thr Ser Leu His Val Ser Ser Cys Arg Ile Arg His Glu Leu Thr Arg 1 5 10 15 Ala Arg Ile Gln Ser Pro His Arg Ser Ala Ala His Phe Val Ala Gly 20 25 30 Glu Gly Gly Arg Arg Arg Pro Ala Thr Ser Arg Val Ser Phe Arg Ser 35 40 45 Met Ala Ser Ala Ala Ser Val Glu Glu Pro Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala 50 55 60 Ala Ala Glu Thr Lys Arg Gly Pro Ser Gly Ala Ser Phe Ile Arg Glu 65 70 75 80 His Leu Arg Ser Leu Ala Pro Tyr Gln Pro Ile Leu Pro Phe Glu Val 85 90 95 Leu Ser Ala Arg Leu Gly Arg Lys Pro Glu Asp Ile Ile Lys Leu Asp 100 105 110 Ala Asn Glu Asn Pro Tyr Gly Pro Pro Pro Glu Val Ala Lys Ala Leu 115 120 125 Gly Asn Leu Lys Phe Pro Tyr Val Tyr Pro Asp Pro Glu Ser Arg Gln 130 135 140 Leu Arg Ala Ala Leu Ala Glu Asp Ser Gly Leu Glu Ser Glu Tyr Ile 145 150 155 160 Leu Ala Gly Cys Gly Ala Asp Glu Leu Ile Asp Leu Ile Met Arg Cys 165 170 175 Val Leu Glu Pro Gly Asp Lys Ile Val Asp Cys Pro Pro Thr Phe Thr 180 185 190 Met Tyr Glu Phe Asp Ala Ser Val Asn Gly Ala Leu Val Ile Lys Val 195 200 205 Pro Arg Leu Pro Asp Phe Ser Leu Asp Val Ala Gln Ile Val Lys Val 210 215 220 Val Glu Gln Glu Lys Pro Lys Ser Ile Phe Leu Thr Ser Pro Asn Asn 225 230 235 240 Pro Asp Gly Ser Ile Ile Asn Asp Glu Asp Leu Leu Lys Ile Leu Asp 245 250 255 Leu Pro Ile Leu Val Val Leu Asp Glu Ala Tyr Ile Glu Phe Ser Ser 260 265 270 Leu Gln Thr Arg Met Ser Trp Val Lys Lys His Asp Asn Leu Ile Val 275 280 285 Leu Arg Thr Phe Ser Lys Arg Ala Gly Leu Ala Gly Leu Arg Val Gly 290 295 300 Tyr Gly Ala Phe Pro Leu Ser Ile Ile Glu Tyr Leu Trp Arg Ala Lys 305 310 315 320 Gln Pro Tyr Asn Val Ser Val Ala Ala Glu Val Ser Ala Cys Ala Ala 325 330 335 Leu Gln Asn Pro Thr Tyr Leu Glu Glu Val Lys Asn Leu Leu Leu Gln 340 345 350 Glu Arg Asp Arg Leu Tyr Asp Leu Leu Lys Glu Ile Pro Phe Leu Lys 355 360 365 Pro Phe Pro Ser His Ser Asn Phe Ile Leu Cys Glu Val Thr Ser Gly 370 375 380 Lys Asp Ala Lys Lys Ile Lys Glu Asp Leu Ala Lys Met Gly Val Met 385 390 395 400 Ile Arg His Tyr Asp Lys Lys Glu Leu Lys Gly Tyr Ile Arg Ile Ser 405 410 415 Val Gly Lys Pro Glu His Thr Asp Ala Leu Met Lys Gly Leu Lys Ala 420 425 430 Leu Gln Leu 435 13 1476 DNA Glycine max 13 gcacgagcca gcaacctctg ccaatcttta atgggtgtga ttgatttcta caacactggt 60 gctttgtgct gggttaagtc caacgccaat ctgaagcagc aagtgggttt ggcaccaaga 120 cccatttgtt catttgaggg gaataatcag aggaagtttg tggcaatggc ttctaccgtt 180 cctgtggagc aagtcaacaa tggccccctg caggtgacag gtgactcctt catcagagag 240 catctgagga agttggctcc ttatcagccc attttgccct ttgaggtttt atcagctcgc 300 cttggacgta agcctgagga tatcgtgaag ttagatgcta atgaaaatcc ttatggtccc 360 cctccagagg tcatggaagc cctaggatca atgcaattcc catatgtcta tcctgaccca 420 gagagccgca gattgcgcgc agctcttgcc catgattcag gccttgaagc tgaatatatt 480 cttgcagggt gtggtgcaga tgagcttatt gatttgatca tgcgttgtgt gctggatcct 540 ggagacaaga ttgtggactg ccctccgacc ttcacaatgt atgaatttga tgctgcggtt 600 aatggagcac ttgttatcaa agttccaagg aggccagatt tcagcttgaa tgttgaacaa 660 attgctgaag ttgttaaaca agagaagccc aaatgcatat ttttaacatc tccaaataat 720 ccagatggaa gtataattga tgacgaagtt ctcttaaaaa tactcgagct tcctatattg 780 gtgatactgg atgaagcata cattgagttt tcagcaattg aatcaaggat gagttgggtg 840 aagaaacatg ataatttgat tgttcttcgg acatttagca aaagagctgg tttagctgga 900 cttcgagtgg gatatggagc ttttcctttg agtataattg agtatctttg gagagcaaag 960 cagccgtata atgtatctgt tgctgctgaa atttctgcat gtgcagcatt gcaaaatcct 1020 acctatctag agaatgtaaa aaatgctttg ttgaaagaaa gagggagact ttatgacctt 1080 ttgaaagaag ttccattcct ccggccattt ccaagccatt ctaacttcat tctttgtgag 1140 gttacatcag gaaaggatgc aaagaagcta aaggaggacc tagcacaaat gggtgtgatg 1200 attcgtcact atgacaagaa agagctgaaa gggtacgttc gtgtgactgt tgggaagcct 1260 gaacaaacag atacacttat gaagtgcctc aagagactct cgtaggagga aaatttgatg 1320 taataaatat tgtaacacgt catgctaaac tcctcttagc taatctttat atagagccgt 1380 caaaattaga agaaaatatg ttgattttgg caagggatgt ggatgtagct ttatatatta 1440 ttgacctaaa tctaccatga taaatattgt gttttg 1476 14 434 PRT Glycine max 14 Ala Arg Ala Ser Asn Leu Cys Gln Ser Leu Met Gly Val Ile Asp Phe 1 5 10 15 Tyr Asn Thr Gly Ala Leu Cys Trp Val Lys Ser Asn Ala Asn Leu Lys 20 25 30 Gln Gln Val Gly Leu Ala Pro Arg Pro Ile Cys Ser Phe Glu Gly Asn 35 40 45 Asn Gln Arg Lys Phe Val Ala Met Ala Ser Thr Val Pro Val Glu Gln 50 55 60 Val Asn Asn Gly Pro Leu Gln Val Thr Gly Asp Ser Phe Ile Arg Glu 65 70 75 80 His Leu Arg Lys Leu Ala Pro Tyr Gln Pro Ile Leu Pro Phe Glu Val 85 90 95 Leu Ser Ala Arg Leu Gly Arg Lys Pro Glu Asp Ile Val Lys Leu Asp 100 105 110 Ala Asn Glu Asn Pro Tyr Gly Pro Pro Pro Glu Val Met Glu Ala Leu 115 120 125 Gly Ser Met Gln Phe Pro Tyr Val Tyr Pro Asp Pro Glu Ser Arg Arg 130 135 140 Leu Arg Ala Ala Leu Ala His Asp Ser Gly Leu Glu Ala Glu Tyr Ile 145 150 155 160 Leu Ala Gly Cys Gly Ala Asp Glu Leu Ile Asp Leu Ile Met Arg Cys 165 170 175 Val Leu Asp Pro Gly Asp Lys Ile Val Asp Cys Pro Pro Thr Phe Thr 180 185 190 Met Tyr Glu Phe Asp Ala Ala Val Asn Gly Ala Leu Val Ile Lys Val 195 200 205 Pro Arg Arg Pro Asp Phe Ser Leu Asn Val Glu Gln Ile Ala Glu Val 210 215 220 Val Lys Gln Glu Lys Pro Lys Cys Ile Phe Leu Thr Ser Pro Asn Asn 225 230 235 240 Pro Asp Gly Ser Ile Ile Asp Asp Glu Val Leu Leu Lys Ile Leu Glu 245 250 255 Leu Pro Ile Leu Val Ile Leu Asp Glu Ala Tyr Ile Glu Phe Ser Ala 260 265 270 Ile Glu Ser Arg Met Ser Trp Val Lys Lys His Asp Asn Leu Ile Val 275 280 285 Leu Arg Thr Phe Ser Lys Arg Ala Gly Leu Ala Gly Leu Arg Val Gly 290 295 300 Tyr Gly Ala Phe Pro Leu Ser Ile Ile Glu Tyr Leu Trp Arg Ala Lys 305 310 315 320 Gln Pro Tyr Asn Val Ser Val Ala Ala Glu Ile Ser Ala Cys Ala Ala 325 330 335 Leu Gln Asn Pro Thr Tyr Leu Glu Asn Val Lys Asn Ala Leu Leu Lys 340 345 350 Glu Arg Gly Arg Leu Tyr Asp Leu Leu Lys Glu Val Pro Phe Leu Arg 355 360 365 Pro Phe Pro Ser His Ser Asn Phe Ile Leu Cys Glu Val Thr Ser Gly 370 375 380 Lys Asp Ala Lys Lys Leu Lys Glu Asp Leu Ala Gln Met Gly Val Met 385 390 395 400 Ile Arg His Tyr Asp Lys Lys Glu Leu Lys Gly Tyr Val Arg Val Thr 405 410 415 Val Gly Lys Pro Glu Gln Thr Asp Thr Leu Met Lys Cys Leu Lys Arg 420 425 430 Leu Ser 15 845 DNA Triticum aestivum 15 agatccttga ccttccggta cttgtagtgc tggacgaagc ttatgttgaa ttttcgagcc 60 ttcaatcaag gatgacatgg gttaagaagc atgataattt gattgtcctt cgaacattta 120 gcaaacgagc aggtttagct gggcttcgtg tgggttatgg agcatttcct ctaagcatta 180 ttgagtactt atggcgggcc aagcagcctt ataatgtttc tgtggcagca gaagtctctg 240 catgtgctgc cttgcagaac ccagtctatt tggagagcgt gaaaaatctg ctactacaag 300 agagggagag gctgtataat cttctcaaag gaatacctta cctgaaacca tttcccagtc 360 atgctaactt cattctgtgt gaagtcacgt caggaaaaga tgcaaagaaa ataaaggagg 420 atcttgcaaa gatgggagtg atgatccgcc actacgacaa gaaggaactg aagggttata 480 ttcgtatttc agttggaaag cctgagcaca ctgatgcact gatggaaggc ttcaaagcac 540 tcaaactttg agaatttgcc atgatttact ttgatggaag cagtgaagag cttattgagt 600 atgtgtctac ccattactag gcttgtagta cactggatgc agtctatcaa ttagacactg 660 cttccctcca acatcggtaa agtgcattct tcagatttca agccaaccag ggtcaattag 720 ttttgaataa aaatatctat gtttaactag tgctgtaggt ccaaccattt agccataaac 780 tctgtgtcag caaagttact gtgcagagca agactttttt taaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 840 aaaaa 845 16 182 PRT Triticum aestivum 16 Ile Leu Asp Leu Pro Val Leu Val Val Leu Asp Glu Ala Tyr Val Glu 1 5 10 15 Phe Ser Ser Leu Gln Ser Arg Met Thr Trp Val Lys Lys His Asp Asn 20 25 30 Leu Ile Val Leu Arg Thr Phe Ser Lys Arg Ala Gly Leu Ala Gly Leu 35 40 45 Arg Val Gly Tyr Gly Ala Phe Pro Leu Ser Ile Ile Glu Tyr Leu Trp 50 55 60 Arg Ala Lys Gln Pro Tyr Asn Val Ser Val Ala Ala Glu Val Ser Ala 65 70 75 80 Cys Ala Ala Leu Gln Asn Pro Val Tyr Leu Glu Ser Val Lys Asn Leu 85 90 95 Leu Leu Gln Glu Arg Glu Arg Leu Tyr Asn Leu Leu Lys Gly Ile Pro 100 105 110 Tyr Leu Lys Pro Phe Pro Ser His Ala Asn Phe Ile Leu Cys Glu Val 115 120 125 Thr Ser Gly Lys Asp Ala Lys Lys Ile Lys Glu Asp Leu Ala Lys Met 130 135 140 Gly Val Met Ile Arg His Tyr Asp Lys Lys Glu Leu Lys Gly Tyr Ile 145 150 155 160 Arg Ile Ser Val Gly Lys Pro Glu His Thr Asp Ala Leu Met Glu Gly 165 170 175 Phe Lys Ala Leu Lys Leu 180 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide comprising: (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinase activity, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 have at least 80% identity based on the Clustal alignment method, or (b) the complement of the nucleotide sequence.
 2. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 have at least 90% identity based on the Clustal alignment method.
 3. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide and the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 have at least 95% identity based on the Clustal alignment method.
 4. The polynucleotide of claim 1 comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
 5. The polynucleotide of claim 1, wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
 6. A chimeric gene comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1 operably linked to a regulatory sequence.
 7. A vector comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 8. A method for transforming a cell comprising transforming a cell with the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 9. The cell produced by the method of claim
 8. 10. A plant comprising the chimeric gene of claim
 6. 11. A seed comprising the chimeric gene of claim
 6. 12. A method for isolating a polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide of claim 1 comprising isolating the polypeptide from a cell containing a recombinant DNA construct comprising the polynucleotide operably linked to a regulatory sequence. 